O Mighty Banyan, How long have you been here?
Doesn't matter. Cool shade and breeze u bestow me
has often been a balm to my battered soul,
I owe you so much, terms of which, I am still in dark.
In the midst of high-rise concrete constructs,
standing alone you are, in such a dignified beauty.
The grandeur in your stance is noticed so seldom
Yet, you are there, without a single grumble.
Thou shred thy green in autumn,
Only to let them sprout in spring
In neither of these seasons does your grandeur wane.
What is behind this clandestine trait ?
I have nothing to offer, for nothing is mine
Still, with pride do I declare, that I let you survive.
Ignorance infected mind deludes my heart, claiming what is truly thine.
Albeit your inflicted woe, I have never seen you whine.
You take nothing from me,
Still you give me all you can.
I feel I am indebted to you.
But I cannot reciprocate, for you are divine.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Relationship between Tragedy and Art
Life, literally means existence of an individual. So, in order to live, we need to subsist ourselves in all fronts - by which I mean, all the dimensions of life. Man, unlike other animals, is empowered with a very strong intellect and for this reason, subsistence takes a new meaning in case of human beings.
Lexicon defines ‘emotion’ as an instinctive or intuitive feeling as distinguished from reasoning or knowledge and ‘Sentiment’ as general feeling or an attitude.
This is why we say that animals also show emotions but it is only man who is sentimental. Distinction is very narrow but the impact is seminal.
For the sake of convenience, I am broadly classifying the sentiments of man as positive and negative. Note the usage of 'sentiment'. I am assuming a positive sentiment to be an emotion which gives us a positive attitude towards life and thus replenishing our energy bank, and vice versa.
Similarly, I assume even emotion can be broadly classified as grief and joy.
Here, it is to be understood that most of the emotions can be categorized under either of these two. For example, bereavement, agony, pain, suffering, ennui, et al can be categorized under grief. On the other hand achievement, pleasure, fun, gaiety, accomplishment, satisfaction, gratification, love, et al can be categorized under joy.
I do concede that there are a few exceptions like stoicism, sympathy, etc., which may not fall into either. But, for time being, it can be ignored as complex sentiments than mere emotions.
However, an emotion which falls under sorrow may act as a positive sentiment. This is one of the most distinguishing and a fabulous characteristic feature of man. Let us consider an analogy to appreciate this feature. If a dog is hit by a stone, it gets angry and it's further action is driven by this emotion called anger. And thus, it is almost always possible to predict the response by a dog when it is hit. Now, take the case of man - if he is hit by a stone, I agree that anger does get triggered. But, his response to such an action is not just governed by the emotion. Here, his sentiment and his attitude towards the situation plays a decisive role in forming his response. Wouldn't you agree that Gandhi's response to the stone action would be very much different from that of Hitler?
Having shown the difference between sentiment and emotion and the role of sentiment in man's life, we can now proceed to examine as to why is it that grief brings out better literary works than joy. (I am assuming this point is not disputed. If so, I request them to refer Shakespeare, Tagore, Milton, Shelly, et al)
Joy is more often than not, a high intensity spike followed by a quick restoration to previous steady state. Also, joy calls for a collective participation to enhance the feeling of pleasure. In fact, feeling of superiority gives a lot more joy than fulfillment of any kind of carnal desires. So the desire of collective participation in times of joy is self explanatory. But I feel Jessamyn West words are true in the deepest sense of it to say the least, when she says "Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are the natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted, and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking. "
This is in contrary to the fallout of happiness and joy wherein solitude is seldom sought during times of happiness.
On the other hand, Schopenhauer points out that "Almost all our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people. " , which seems right when viewed pragmatically. And interestingly Jessamyn West seems to be perfectly fit in the idea of Schopenhauer. We can find plenty of examples which emphasizes the words of Schopenhauer. One example which has universal relevance is sorrow due to bereavement. Is the intensity of agony and mental pain caused due to the death of our relative the same when the death happens of some unknown and unrelated person ? Isn't it something which almost the entire world has experienced atleast once in their lives ?
Whenever I have observed a man suffering from grief, I do not know if he would have realised the words of Schopenhauer or not, but I always see that he craves for solitude.
When I say solitude, it is not the same as loneliness. Though both seem to sound synonymous, there is a subtle change which is very much imperative as far as its impact is concerned. Albeit the basic emotion and the psychological feeling is same, the approach towards it is radically different. Solitude is a positive sentiment and feeling of loneliness is a negative sentiment.
So, solitude should be understood with this background.
Creativity is a mental and social process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts.
This holds well not only for art, but also for all activities involving creativity. Let us take a very famous example of Einstein to drive this point. When he explained Brownian motion, which was first observed by Robert Brown, the existence of atom was not yet conclusively proved. Still, it was the intuition or the courage to speculate, which is the trait of a creative person, that allowed Einstein to go ahead with the explanation, which Brown himself could not do, probably for the same reason. Einstein is an epitome of creativity in the realm of science.
When a man is in grief, he feels like coming out of his ensconced state of mind. This may act like a preparation ground for his mind to experiment and try out new things. Importance of this mental condition is reflected in Erich Fromm's phrase "Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties". It is not that grief is a must-and-should mental condition required prior to any embarkment of creative activity. But I am trying to say that grief sometimes helps in preparing the mind for uncertainties.
Art, though does not have any concrete definition, can be defined in a broad sense as, a process or product of deliberately or creatively arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions.
It must be noted that human being is the only species to indulge in art, yet another distinction between man and rest of the species.
Since we have tried to understand the meanings of art and creativity above, I feel we can now relate them well and appreciate their mutual dependence required to produce an aesthetic outcome.
It is very much obvious that expression of one's feelings creatively requires lot of contemplation and concentration. And this is possible only in solitary milieu, which nature often bestows by flinging in incidents which causes grief and thus make us experience reclusion, wherein we can choose to express ourselves in a way which gives a sense of relief to us.
But, why is it that everyone doesn't come out with a good piece of art (everyone in the sense of those inclined towards art), given that not a soul can escape from agony?
The answer lies in the sentiment of that person. His attitude towards life. He can choose to be lonely or in solitude. Many of them prefer sulking because it feeds self pity – a safe roof under which they can take shelter from reality. Very few of them choose a different way (those with positive attitude) to respond to the brutality of nature.
I sometimes feel convinced at this explanation, though chances of delusory self deception cannot be ruled out. Whatsoever be it, this doesn't stop me from wondering as to "Why does man, in spite of such efficacy of agony, craves for joy which is so short living both in duration and in memory?"
And every time, the following words uttered in the movie Matrix "Fate, it seems, Is not without its sense of Irony" ring in my ears so loudly that I choose to procrastinate than pursue it.
Lexicon defines ‘emotion’ as an instinctive or intuitive feeling as distinguished from reasoning or knowledge and ‘Sentiment’ as general feeling or an attitude.
This is why we say that animals also show emotions but it is only man who is sentimental. Distinction is very narrow but the impact is seminal.
For the sake of convenience, I am broadly classifying the sentiments of man as positive and negative. Note the usage of 'sentiment'. I am assuming a positive sentiment to be an emotion which gives us a positive attitude towards life and thus replenishing our energy bank, and vice versa.
Similarly, I assume even emotion can be broadly classified as grief and joy.
Here, it is to be understood that most of the emotions can be categorized under either of these two. For example, bereavement, agony, pain, suffering, ennui, et al can be categorized under grief. On the other hand achievement, pleasure, fun, gaiety, accomplishment, satisfaction, gratification, love, et al can be categorized under joy.
I do concede that there are a few exceptions like stoicism, sympathy, etc., which may not fall into either. But, for time being, it can be ignored as complex sentiments than mere emotions.
However, an emotion which falls under sorrow may act as a positive sentiment. This is one of the most distinguishing and a fabulous characteristic feature of man. Let us consider an analogy to appreciate this feature. If a dog is hit by a stone, it gets angry and it's further action is driven by this emotion called anger. And thus, it is almost always possible to predict the response by a dog when it is hit. Now, take the case of man - if he is hit by a stone, I agree that anger does get triggered. But, his response to such an action is not just governed by the emotion. Here, his sentiment and his attitude towards the situation plays a decisive role in forming his response. Wouldn't you agree that Gandhi's response to the stone action would be very much different from that of Hitler?
Having shown the difference between sentiment and emotion and the role of sentiment in man's life, we can now proceed to examine as to why is it that grief brings out better literary works than joy. (I am assuming this point is not disputed. If so, I request them to refer Shakespeare, Tagore, Milton, Shelly, et al)
Joy is more often than not, a high intensity spike followed by a quick restoration to previous steady state. Also, joy calls for a collective participation to enhance the feeling of pleasure. In fact, feeling of superiority gives a lot more joy than fulfillment of any kind of carnal desires. So the desire of collective participation in times of joy is self explanatory. But I feel Jessamyn West words are true in the deepest sense of it to say the least, when she says "Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are the natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted, and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking. "
This is in contrary to the fallout of happiness and joy wherein solitude is seldom sought during times of happiness.
On the other hand, Schopenhauer points out that "Almost all our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people. " , which seems right when viewed pragmatically. And interestingly Jessamyn West seems to be perfectly fit in the idea of Schopenhauer. We can find plenty of examples which emphasizes the words of Schopenhauer. One example which has universal relevance is sorrow due to bereavement. Is the intensity of agony and mental pain caused due to the death of our relative the same when the death happens of some unknown and unrelated person ? Isn't it something which almost the entire world has experienced atleast once in their lives ?
Whenever I have observed a man suffering from grief, I do not know if he would have realised the words of Schopenhauer or not, but I always see that he craves for solitude.
When I say solitude, it is not the same as loneliness. Though both seem to sound synonymous, there is a subtle change which is very much imperative as far as its impact is concerned. Albeit the basic emotion and the psychological feeling is same, the approach towards it is radically different. Solitude is a positive sentiment and feeling of loneliness is a negative sentiment.
So, solitude should be understood with this background.
Creativity is a mental and social process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts.
This holds well not only for art, but also for all activities involving creativity. Let us take a very famous example of Einstein to drive this point. When he explained Brownian motion, which was first observed by Robert Brown, the existence of atom was not yet conclusively proved. Still, it was the intuition or the courage to speculate, which is the trait of a creative person, that allowed Einstein to go ahead with the explanation, which Brown himself could not do, probably for the same reason. Einstein is an epitome of creativity in the realm of science.
When a man is in grief, he feels like coming out of his ensconced state of mind. This may act like a preparation ground for his mind to experiment and try out new things. Importance of this mental condition is reflected in Erich Fromm's phrase "Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties". It is not that grief is a must-and-should mental condition required prior to any embarkment of creative activity. But I am trying to say that grief sometimes helps in preparing the mind for uncertainties.
Art, though does not have any concrete definition, can be defined in a broad sense as, a process or product of deliberately or creatively arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions.
It must be noted that human being is the only species to indulge in art, yet another distinction between man and rest of the species.
Since we have tried to understand the meanings of art and creativity above, I feel we can now relate them well and appreciate their mutual dependence required to produce an aesthetic outcome.
It is very much obvious that expression of one's feelings creatively requires lot of contemplation and concentration. And this is possible only in solitary milieu, which nature often bestows by flinging in incidents which causes grief and thus make us experience reclusion, wherein we can choose to express ourselves in a way which gives a sense of relief to us.
But, why is it that everyone doesn't come out with a good piece of art (everyone in the sense of those inclined towards art), given that not a soul can escape from agony?
The answer lies in the sentiment of that person. His attitude towards life. He can choose to be lonely or in solitude. Many of them prefer sulking because it feeds self pity – a safe roof under which they can take shelter from reality. Very few of them choose a different way (those with positive attitude) to respond to the brutality of nature.
I sometimes feel convinced at this explanation, though chances of delusory self deception cannot be ruled out. Whatsoever be it, this doesn't stop me from wondering as to "Why does man, in spite of such efficacy of agony, craves for joy which is so short living both in duration and in memory?"
And every time, the following words uttered in the movie Matrix "Fate, it seems, Is not without its sense of Irony" ring in my ears so loudly that I choose to procrastinate than pursue it.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Poster Austerity
An audience in the confluence
Of the intellectual sanits;
I was humbled at their sight,
And elated to be its part.
Intellect seemed tantamount to
the the penultimate entity, beyond matter.
Witness was I, to the display of power,
Given by knowledge and wisdom.
For me, ‘Simple living, high thinking’ was by- rote- learned moral
It was for them, as I saw, a life governing model.
Inspired by them, I thus felt –
‘Thy simplicity shall, from hence govern moi life’
And reduce all the unwanted strife.
The Sun was new again
And life had become yet again mundane.
Showing my face, covered by a mask
Of austerity I had pledged last dusk,
I was sauntering around and lo behold!
My money was stolen, so was I told.
Hedonist in me took over the newly acquired trait,
feeling of loss crept deep down in my mind.
It seemed like providence had planned a ruse
And I failed yet again, to take the cues.
I felt an awakening in me – It was again an illusion,
my mask of austerity was peeled by Him, and
declared my assumed trait as a poster austerity.
Of the intellectual sanits;
I was humbled at their sight,
And elated to be its part.
Intellect seemed tantamount to
the the penultimate entity, beyond matter.
Witness was I, to the display of power,
Given by knowledge and wisdom.
For me, ‘Simple living, high thinking’ was by- rote- learned moral
It was for them, as I saw, a life governing model.
Inspired by them, I thus felt –
‘Thy simplicity shall, from hence govern moi life’
And reduce all the unwanted strife.
The Sun was new again
And life had become yet again mundane.
Showing my face, covered by a mask
Of austerity I had pledged last dusk,
I was sauntering around and lo behold!
My money was stolen, so was I told.
Hedonist in me took over the newly acquired trait,
feeling of loss crept deep down in my mind.
It seemed like providence had planned a ruse
And I failed yet again, to take the cues.
I felt an awakening in me – It was again an illusion,
my mask of austerity was peeled by Him, and
declared my assumed trait as a poster austerity.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
On Marriage
In this communion of youth and beauty,
you both should now make a treaty,
that you shall let the joy double
and try to divide the trouble.
May your bride be your pride
on which you shall forever ride;
for you are a lucky groom
whose life has now started to bloom.
Let the characters remain distinctive,
even make it mutually exclusive
But may your living space be conducive
for your near and dear to feel inclusive.
Marriage is not just a wedlock;
But I tell you, it's a deadlock -
mutually locked until death.
So my Ami, live your life in every breath.
(Dedicated to Gaurav Bhargava, wishing for his successful marriage)
you both should now make a treaty,
that you shall let the joy double
and try to divide the trouble.
May your bride be your pride
on which you shall forever ride;
for you are a lucky groom
whose life has now started to bloom.
Let the characters remain distinctive,
even make it mutually exclusive
But may your living space be conducive
for your near and dear to feel inclusive.
Marriage is not just a wedlock;
But I tell you, it's a deadlock -
mutually locked until death.
So my Ami, live your life in every breath.
(Dedicated to Gaurav Bhargava, wishing for his successful marriage)
Monday, December 8, 2008
Bon Voyage
I felt unprepared and unset,
Was not ready to board yet.
My luggage was jammed
And my itinerary unplanned.
But the minute met the hour,
And triggered the bell crank lever.
I was left with no other choice
But to forget all and just rejoice.
With this resolve, I now started
Never to know that I had also parted.
The crankshaft bawled and yelled
Never to be sympathized by young or old.
Seated on the window sided berth,
For the pleasant scenery, there was no dearth.
As my eyes drank the beauty of the sight
My mind walked its own path, in its own right.
When the trees, as I saw, raced behind
My cassette of past started to rewind
Each tree which seemed far, came close and again went afar
Retracing the path of every event in my life so far.
The tree I closely observed from the moment of its sight
Gave me maximum agony when it went out of sight;
Like any event of my life, whose agony of detachment
Was proportional to my intensity of attachment.
As this thought ran over my mind, I just popped my head
out, and saw the train surging ahead.
We were going forward, towards the destination
With the cranks still rotating, with visible obstination.
When I looked forward, I was filled with joy
And when I turned back to look behind, my soul did cry.
I learnt a lesson from this journey that I can always rejoice
While it was just a matter of my own choice
The whistle blew again and the train jerked with an outcry so shrill
The movement had ceased and all were still,
I walked the aisle and stepped down the train, to see nobody;
Only to realize, it was just a self parody.
Was not ready to board yet.
My luggage was jammed
And my itinerary unplanned.
But the minute met the hour,
And triggered the bell crank lever.
I was left with no other choice
But to forget all and just rejoice.
With this resolve, I now started
Never to know that I had also parted.
The crankshaft bawled and yelled
Never to be sympathized by young or old.
Seated on the window sided berth,
For the pleasant scenery, there was no dearth.
As my eyes drank the beauty of the sight
My mind walked its own path, in its own right.
When the trees, as I saw, raced behind
My cassette of past started to rewind
Each tree which seemed far, came close and again went afar
Retracing the path of every event in my life so far.
The tree I closely observed from the moment of its sight
Gave me maximum agony when it went out of sight;
Like any event of my life, whose agony of detachment
Was proportional to my intensity of attachment.
As this thought ran over my mind, I just popped my head
out, and saw the train surging ahead.
We were going forward, towards the destination
With the cranks still rotating, with visible obstination.
When I looked forward, I was filled with joy
And when I turned back to look behind, my soul did cry.
I learnt a lesson from this journey that I can always rejoice
While it was just a matter of my own choice
The whistle blew again and the train jerked with an outcry so shrill
The movement had ceased and all were still,
I walked the aisle and stepped down the train, to see nobody;
Only to realize, it was just a self parody.
My Sleep
Sliding from the conscious to unconscious,
From the world of reality, to that of fantasy;
I love this journey and more so the destination
For, there I dare, to be what I want, not what I am.
The rhythm of my breath and poise of my body,
Resonates with the undercurrent, common to everybody.
Serene and tranquility, marked my face
Which otherwise has detestable grimace.
Rejuvenating the jaded body and fatigued mind,
This deep slumber gives a much wanted solace.
Emancipated from the clutches of duty,
The soul soars high, in the hope-filled sky.
In the world of angels and fairies,
Walking on the ego-ridden landscape,
Where there is no room for despair and gloom,
My intrepid mind explodes with cheer and merry.
Thanks to God, for bestowing such a cure
Which heals all ills, still so sweet and wanting.
Gazing at the sky, I wait for the dark night
To drift into a world, that is gay and bright.
From the world of reality, to that of fantasy;
I love this journey and more so the destination
For, there I dare, to be what I want, not what I am.
The rhythm of my breath and poise of my body,
Resonates with the undercurrent, common to everybody.
Serene and tranquility, marked my face
Which otherwise has detestable grimace.
Rejuvenating the jaded body and fatigued mind,
This deep slumber gives a much wanted solace.
Emancipated from the clutches of duty,
The soul soars high, in the hope-filled sky.
In the world of angels and fairies,
Walking on the ego-ridden landscape,
Where there is no room for despair and gloom,
My intrepid mind explodes with cheer and merry.
Thanks to God, for bestowing such a cure
Which heals all ills, still so sweet and wanting.
Gazing at the sky, I wait for the dark night
To drift into a world, that is gay and bright.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Literary redemption
A winged horse tied by rope, so felt my soul
Cloudy skies and misty wind, hazy it is all around !
Battered soul bawled like a deprived kid
waffling for long , seemed like an eternity.
Dogma of the elite, victimized me
for the delinquent piece I dared to present
Knowing too well of the possible resent.
Truth being, my desperateness is the real culprit.
My intellect, despite feeling ashamed; consoled my lamenting soul
'Thou shan't bother about other's opinion, errors are part of thy nature'.
The storm in my soul seemed quite relieved. Thou sorted the imbroglio which had stormed my mind and soul
O creator-of-the-soul, how perfect is your creation ! Problem manifests as a solution.
Genesis of any crisis, I feel, is our ego;
which we never let go.
Trait of this ubiquitous ego, is its vulnerability to the power of time.
I strongly feel that time is the panacea for all melee.
Albeit the notion that my literary child was the cause of the predicament
I now realise that it was just a mirror in front of my trait.
All it did was to reflect the incidence.
Thus I submit to strive to be a bard, till the providence gives his accord.
With this new resolve I now took, my petrified mind now saw peace.
The lamp of my soul shone bright with hope
Tears swelled and dampened my cheeks,
when I felt if this is a literary redemption
Cloudy skies and misty wind, hazy it is all around !
Battered soul bawled like a deprived kid
waffling for long , seemed like an eternity.
Dogma of the elite, victimized me
for the delinquent piece I dared to present
Knowing too well of the possible resent.
Truth being, my desperateness is the real culprit.
My intellect, despite feeling ashamed; consoled my lamenting soul
'Thou shan't bother about other's opinion, errors are part of thy nature'.
The storm in my soul seemed quite relieved. Thou sorted the imbroglio which had stormed my mind and soul
O creator-of-the-soul, how perfect is your creation ! Problem manifests as a solution.
Genesis of any crisis, I feel, is our ego;
which we never let go.
Trait of this ubiquitous ego, is its vulnerability to the power of time.
I strongly feel that time is the panacea for all melee.
Albeit the notion that my literary child was the cause of the predicament
I now realise that it was just a mirror in front of my trait.
All it did was to reflect the incidence.
Thus I submit to strive to be a bard, till the providence gives his accord.
With this new resolve I now took, my petrified mind now saw peace.
The lamp of my soul shone bright with hope
Tears swelled and dampened my cheeks,
when I felt if this is a literary redemption
My Ami
In my life of peregrination,
I was drifting away, knowing not my destination
In the darkness of my ignorance,
Your friendship became a fluorescence
When I was sinking in the shoreless sea of despair
You came as a boat to revive my last flickering hope.
Supplementing my life, you brought in such a harmony,
Our lives became a libretto filled with symphony.
Reflecting my lacunae without any prejudice,
you were a mirror without malice.
Sharing sorrow and joy in equal measure
you created a bond without any fissure
Moments of joy we shared so often
lay in my mind, every bit frozen
Every time I invoke those memories
my crescent smile shows my ivories.
The only thought that I now fear
Is a life without you dear
You have filled a void which I was not even aware
until you bestowed your soul which was so bare
I bow to thee and pray in earnest
to bless me with you as my friend very dearest.
May the aura of your presence
make my life filled with iridescence.
I was drifting away, knowing not my destination
In the darkness of my ignorance,
Your friendship became a fluorescence
When I was sinking in the shoreless sea of despair
You came as a boat to revive my last flickering hope.
Supplementing my life, you brought in such a harmony,
Our lives became a libretto filled with symphony.
Reflecting my lacunae without any prejudice,
you were a mirror without malice.
Sharing sorrow and joy in equal measure
you created a bond without any fissure
Moments of joy we shared so often
lay in my mind, every bit frozen
Every time I invoke those memories
my crescent smile shows my ivories.
The only thought that I now fear
Is a life without you dear
You have filled a void which I was not even aware
until you bestowed your soul which was so bare
I bow to thee and pray in earnest
to bless me with you as my friend very dearest.
May the aura of your presence
make my life filled with iridescence.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Confused State
Like a cargo ship in the middle of a shoreless sea;
my aimless mind wandered around,
amidst a hubbub created by my own fellow denizens.
Tolerance was a virtue, so was i taught
Never did they know it would someday leave me distraught.
My mind thus knelt, pleading for inner peace
A land of wisdom and courage, ruled by the brave
and benevolent; a place where modesty is honored
and avarice is censured; where trees and bees get the
same respect as the kings and courtiers.
Such kingdom is the one that'll prosper, taught the old and wise,
only didn't they live to see the world go otherwise.
With such an utopia in my mind, I peeped out into the world;
only to be greeted by mockery, contempt and scorn.
In the skirmish of ideas and principles, my mind has lost
its ability to sift. Whom should I now blame?
My teachers who taught what they felt is good?
or the society which has lead the world astray?
Being born in the land of the wisest,
Feeling indignant, I thus posed 'is it wrong to live at their behest ?'
Yes, it is ! said my fellow brethren,
whose kind I found, in hemispheres northern and southern.
Confusion ruling the current state of mind,
I realized time is the only machine which can unwind.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Dot
DOT
You look so tiny, but have such significance
Living on the edge of reality and negligence,
Astonished at the influence, at places of your presence,
How I wonder as to what is your essence?
A vast and dark sky looks so beautiful even with a single twinkling star,
Mesmerized by your beauty, I wonder who you are?
You are above definition, constrained only by description
I feel you are evermore worthy of consecration.
Manifesting in all matter and forms, you are all around;
Up in the sky and below the ground.
Denoting the precedent of the Big Bang,
you are the genesis of the universal song.
Your pertinence is universal
crossing borders of geography and language.
I salute you, an epitome of grace and humility;
an embodiment of tranquility.
You look so tiny, but have such significance
Living on the edge of reality and negligence,
Astonished at the influence, at places of your presence,
How I wonder as to what is your essence?
A vast and dark sky looks so beautiful even with a single twinkling star,
Mesmerized by your beauty, I wonder who you are?
You are above definition, constrained only by description
I feel you are evermore worthy of consecration.
Manifesting in all matter and forms, you are all around;
Up in the sky and below the ground.
Denoting the precedent of the Big Bang,
you are the genesis of the universal song.
Your pertinence is universal
crossing borders of geography and language.
I salute you, an epitome of grace and humility;
an embodiment of tranquility.
Inspiration
I
Flapping your iridescent wings, when you hopped from flower
to flower; to savour the flavour of varied nectar;
O dear butterfly! man stood there, admiring your gift to drift.
A seed of thought was sowed in his mind at the moment of this delight
O dear fish! how much do I wish
to swim like you and splash around.
Your calisthenics in water made me almost fright.
A seed of thought was sowed in his mind at the moment of this delight
O mighty vulture! how much do I wish
to kiss the sky and vroom around,
and swoop down like a flash of light.
A seed of thought was sowed in his mind at the moment of this delight
II
Man has now learnt to swim like a fish,
fly like a bird; what caused him to so well flourish?
This lovely conundrum unravelled itself
on a dark and cold night, to myself.
A force which defies the law of conservation,
is beyond and above the mensuration.
It gives strength and reason for persistence,
providing a purpose for our existence.
It nourished the seed sowed in man's mind,
helped his hidden potential to gracefully unwind.
The ultimate source of perspiration,
Yes! Its the all important inspiration - father of all mankind's achievement
I
Flapping your iridescent wings, when you hopped from flower
to flower; to savour the flavour of varied nectar;
O dear butterfly! man stood there, admiring your gift to drift.
A seed of thought was sowed in his mind at the moment of this delight
O dear fish! how much do I wish
to swim like you and splash around.
Your calisthenics in water made me almost fright.
A seed of thought was sowed in his mind at the moment of this delight
O mighty vulture! how much do I wish
to kiss the sky and vroom around,
and swoop down like a flash of light.
A seed of thought was sowed in his mind at the moment of this delight
II
Man has now learnt to swim like a fish,
fly like a bird; what caused him to so well flourish?
This lovely conundrum unravelled itself
on a dark and cold night, to myself.
A force which defies the law of conservation,
is beyond and above the mensuration.
It gives strength and reason for persistence,
providing a purpose for our existence.
It nourished the seed sowed in man's mind,
helped his hidden potential to gracefully unwind.
The ultimate source of perspiration,
Yes! Its the all important inspiration - father of all mankind's achievement
Sunday, July 6, 2008
A Song of Nature
Rhythm in the sway of trees,
Humming of birds, splashing of water,
Wafting of the wind; Oh! My god of light,
What a welcome she accords you, for making her look bright.
The white of your light shows as
Green in trees, blue in sky;
Red, yellow, purple and pink
Myriad are they on the petals of flowers.
Flutter of wings, chirping birds
In the backdrop of an ocean filled with life
Accompanied by such percussion filled with melody,
Oh! Mother Nature, how well you sing the song of life in all its glory.
Thirumal Rao R
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Sojourn
In the galaxy of beings, lived an old haggard
Revisiting his vivacious youth, reclined in his backyard.
Basking in the glory of his past, strengthened his weak nerves,
Reminding him of his long lost verves.
Had arrived with shine and shimmer
On a sunny day of a bright summer.
The first outburst of his shrill cry,
gave near and dear, plenary of joy.
Sun rose in the east and set in the west,
Never did it ask for a day of rest.
Joys of childhood just passed by,
The boy was now a little coy.
Grey had peeped out of his dear mom's head
before he knew how to earn his bread.
The newly budding youth filled with vigor
Realized success in life depends on rigor.
Lust and love appeared limpid in his life
Made him crave for a beautiful wife.
Ensconced in his illusory pleasure
Lead his life in quite good measure
Vigor and rigor was nowhere in his near
Swelled from his eyes, rolled a drop of tear.
A gracious smile did his face adorn
Knowing well, it is the last in this sojourn.
Friday, June 6, 2008
In Praise of Mediocrity
Majority has always taken precedence in the topmost policy making body all over the world. It means to say that the larger mass and their opinion in general should be respected. Majority is the single most deciding factor to elect the ruling class in almost all parts of the world barring few exceptions. The root of democracy is a belief that millions of people cannot be wrong over a single issue at a single time. Complete belief in the working of human’s mind is the reason behind proclamation of democracy as the noblest approach to decide the people’s mandate. Belonging to the world’s largest democracy, I was always taught that democracy is the noblest way that can be adopted to form a fair governing body. Having been brought up in this environment, my mind has always given utmost respect to the opinion formed by majority or public in general.
Communism, Socialism, Democracy, fascism and many others have a common factor. Does it strike the mind? Yes. They are all relevant only in a collective set up. Democracy doesn’t make any sense to an individual as such. So do the others. But the men who propounded such concepts were heralded as geniuses. They were considered to be living on a higher pedestal from the rest of us. But if we analyze this scenario rationally, we can observe a strange phenomenon. These concepts were meant for the mass. But the fathers of such concepts were individuals. So, if the relevancy of these concepts relies on the collective obedience, then why is it that the very founders are exempted from it?
It is in the background of the mediocre that the abnormal get extra credit. A flower looks more beautiful in a green background. Candle light looks elegant in the dark room only because of its contrasting back ground. Similarly, any deviation from the collective thinking will get credit only because such an individual will stand out of the crowd. The background being mediocrity, the individual gets the limelight. Just imagine that there were no people leading normal lives and possessing normal intelligence just enough to live. Imagine a society filled with Newtons and Einsteins and Ramanujans and Gandhi s. Would they achieve what they have achieved whilst being amongst the mediocre? To whom would Gandhi preach non violence? Who would have applied Newton’s laws in daily lives to reduce their efforts? Who would benefit from such profound truths? But the irony is all these great personalities contributed more to the benefit of mankind as a whole, rather to benefit the Common Man or the mediocre. Gandhi vowed his life for his people, Nelson Mandela followed him. Einstein feared misuse of nuclear energy for destruction and played a pivotal role in nuclear non proliferation treaty. All such great people were directly or indirectly concerned about the mass or the commoners. But would they be inspired to do so if everyone amongst them were pursuing truth and science. Well, it’s a hypothetical situation and I cannot even imagine what would have happened in such a situation. Ironically, there is a strange mutual admiration between the elite few and the mediocre. The elite vow their life to the benefit of a society filled with mediocres and these mediocres almost worship such people for what they are.
The biggest epics and the holiest texts addresses to a common man. It is not for the intellectuals who think that their accepting or following the gospels is derogatory to their ability to think. Gita teaches us how to lead a normal life, Bible and Quran is no exception. Deeds were considered noble only if they had a positive impact on the society at large.
Coming to the concept of common man. Who is a common man? Who is a mediocre? What constitutes a mediocre? What separates the so called genius from the mediocre?
Too many questions to ponder. Some should be pondered and others should be left to wonder. The brain of a human being is a product evolved over a period of billions of years polished by time and nurtured by nature. So, all humans almost have a similar brain biologically with a few variations based on the genetics of the individual’s ancestral race.
The ability to think is a common factor to all living beings with a brain as present in humans.
With such a level ground, how is it that some are considered special and separated from the crowd? Isn’t it ironical that all these so called special people worked and spent all their lives for the improvement of these very collection of people.
Let us take an analogy. All of us have almost the same life span. So, how is it possible for some to achieve more than others? I do agree that we can achieve something BIG only if we compromise on other mundane stuff like leading a life normally. But, if we take the holistic view of the total tasks carried out by man in his/her lifetime cumulatively, disregarding the repetition of the task, then we end up with almost the same number for every one of us. The only difference would be that few would skip some tasks to pursue a task of their choice which gives them joy and a strange feeling of accomplishment which is a mirage in whose influence many have lived a life of ignorance. Doesn’t this imply that mankind has only one kind of species and they all are equal?
I would say the world has only mediocres. Some pursue studies and forsake other mundane tasks, others live their life like they are supposed to. I feel it is this kind of people to whom we should be grateful if mankind is still surviving.
Newton, of course propounded wonderful mind boggling theories. He taught us that the force causing the fall of apple on our head and the force keeping the moon from falling on earth is the same. Its undoubtedly an insightful discovery and we give him due credit for letting us know the truth. But he remained a virgin till his death. Now, can the world afford a society of Newtons? Just a food for thought, in such a situation, who is more important for survival of mankind? Newton or a bunch of commoners who lived their lives as nature taught them to. I would like to contend that nature likes diversity and hence it has made small differences in us. It could be good or bad. Its based on our perception. But such a diversity should be accepted and glorification is uncalled for.
I strongly feel that no event that has occurred so far is as significant as we deem it to be. Also, no accomplishment by mankind has ever been so important as to be a saviour of mankind. Man is just another species evolved from more primordial forms. Evolution is a process where neither its origin nor its end is known. I do not know if it is a limitation of human mind or the eternal truth. But empirically we can understand and deduce that evolution is still active and human is still evolving. So, there comes a day when the entire species of mankind might get extinct or evolve further into a different species. Inspite of being cognitive of such a truth, we tend to place a few on a higher pedestal in the name of recognition and appreciation. But all this looks so trivial and immature. Of what importance is our laws if we are not capable to change the way our universe works? How does it matter whether stars are made of hydrogen or helium when we cannot change its composition? Who cares what is Newton’s law if we perish due to a catastrophe akin to dinosaurs?
The very concept that man has a purpose in his life is a pretext to develop the brain. The more we tend to look for purpose, the more we exercise our brain and the better it gets over time owing to the theory of evolution.
In short, we are just aiding ourselves to improve our brains and thus the ability to think.
In reality, there is no purpose in life, but to live. Since we have the brain and it needs a function to do, we think.
What different can the purpose of life be for humans from other species? Man is after all made of the same elementary particles of matter as a log of wood. Atleast let us not accuse nature of favoritism for a particular species.
If I made any of you think, then thank me if your posterity is born with a higher IQ.
But let me confess, the maximum impact of this article is on me, it has definitely increased the entropy of my mind.
To be yourself requires extraordinary intelligence. You are blessed with that intelligence; nobody need give it to you; nobody can take it away from you. He who lets that express itself in its own way is a 'Natural Man'.
- UG Krishnamurthy
Thirumal Rao R
Saturday, May 31, 2008
EGO and the SELF
“One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego.” -- Anonymous
Ego has remained as the biggest enigma of mankind. None can fathom the origin of ego or the end of it if any. The funniest part is everyone is aware that it exists in everyone and also it could be detrimental to the elevation of mankind. Ego is one of the few mysteries which have attracted attention of many mighty brains of all times. Before hunting its origin or contemplating its effects, we should first understand what is EGO. A zillion dollar question or even more. Comically, it can be regarded as a mistress of the internal moral judge called conscience.
Ego is to date predominantly understood as a reverence for individuality. The respect and regard we like to give to our selves. But it is not the reverence for individuality, but the feeling of importance attached to the individualism to an extent till its masks the need of logic or reason behind any thought. The bitter irony is once we start respecting our egotistic mind, we tend to respect its decision. Once we tend to respect the decision of our mind, then it blinds our contemplative eye and we start believing that we are right. We tend to ignore the logic behind the decision or choice. This is nothing but akin to blind belief. It is like a black hole. Once enough mass is accumulated, then it shrinks on its own gravity. When we dare to condemn the concept of blind belief socially, I wonder how do we keep ourselves mum when it comes to condemnation of blind beliefs of our own mind. Human mind has always been irrational. Mind should be given utmost importance. The logic or the thought behind the choice of action should be of paramount importance. The body which houses the brain which could be causation for any noble thought or deed is just a mere coincidence. It in no way has a right over the idea or thought or its implications. It is important to note that the individual’s brain which gave birth to a noble thought would also be the mother of other detrimental thoughts. So here the thought is more important than its cause. The effect of thought is purely a function of the nobility and relevance of thought, and completely independent of its causator.
The concept of selflessness was revered by most of the well known thinkers of all eras. Albeit the bitterness in the truth exists, it is the Absolute truth and will cease to change whatsoever the circumstances or situations be created by lesser mortals. As most of us agree that truth is the only energy that prevails, the very prevalence of this truth even after being despised by many big and materially powerful die-hard egotists testifies the words itself. The ill effects of ego are innumerable. It is interesting and devastating to know that ego manifests in various myriad forms. Pride, malice, avarice, spite are some of the various other possible forms of its manifestations. It is like a fatal virus which eats away all the naivety present in the mind during our infancy. Society carries out its duty to infest this virus into every mind with a priest like precision. Despising the convention and reasoning out every action of ours at the same time testifying the nobility of each action is the only way to rid ourselves from such a fatal attack.
We have a rich history wherein the great sages and all the great thinkers of that time made “Self Realisation” or the “Enlightenment” or the “BrahmaGyan” as their goal and the singular purpose of their life. Renunciation is nothing but renunciation of the self or the feeling of ‘I’, realization is nothing but the realization of our ignorance, BrahmaGyan is the gyan that is selfless and the knowledge of the omniscient. The first step towards these is to realize the ill effects of our ego. The second being the conscious decision to forego this monstrous evil and the rest is self revealing.
To understand the harmful impact of ego, it will become easier if we try to emphasize the joy of the egoless mind. A man devoid of ego is a man in a blissful state. It can be easily deduced. When ‘I’ don’t exist, then we think as ‘we’. When I cease to exist, then everyone starts to think for the benefit of others. Overall, it becomes a collective thought wherein every thought or action will intend towards the benefit and the upheaval of our mankind. When we participate in such events, our benevolence brings joy to us. We tend to float in the state of ecstatic joy where in individuals lose all significance, still enjoy the fruits of collective benevolence. All conflicts which are in the status of likelihood will even cease to remain as a possibility. It’ll be a total annihilation of the very root of ego. Once this is achieved, then the state will be in the self sustenance mode.
The presence of ego as it is now, will devoid us of all the pleasure of collective benevolence.
It is only possible when man begins to think beyond the mundane, when he gradually realizes that the excessive regard for self or the ego is a trap laid by ourselves which was further encouraged by the largely ignorant society. It is a challenge to swim against such a high tide and reach the shore of selflessness and bliss. But if we hesitate to make an attempt the possibility to reach will remain zero. A ship is always safe in the harbour, but it is not built for that.
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” --Albert Einstein
THIRUMAL RAO
Thursday, May 29, 2008
FAITH
New born child cries as soon it is born
Afraid of the wordly scorn.
It chuckles when it sees the mother
As it knows there is no need to bother.
No more do they share umbilical cord
But they feel bound by a magical word.
Man concedes all to his wife
Even at the cost of his own life
Reason behind this is what I strive
to unravel while I'm still alive.
Logic needs to scutter
While I stand to Utter.
Mountains and moors have no remorse
for the difference in their course.
I stand and wonder at their peaceful gaiety
and try to fathom who's their deity?
All I gather from my wonder
is its the same which works from under.
Farmers sow their seeds on the earth
Hoping to fill in all their dearth.
I wonder at their decision to sow
as I fail to comprehend what they know.
Once I got it, I'm ever so astonished
that all my fears are forever perished
I now stand to face thine
To accept the decree of divine.
I shout for all to hear
that Faith will remove all our fear.
As I realised the power of faith
My mind became free of myth.
The child was bound by faith and love
Man and wife lived with trust filled trove
Mountains and moors had faith in Lord
as the Farmers who trusted in god
Faith and love, trust and belief
Will always give you lot of relief.
THIRUMAL RAO R
New born child cries as soon it is born
Afraid of the wordly scorn.
It chuckles when it sees the mother
As it knows there is no need to bother.
No more do they share umbilical cord
But they feel bound by a magical word.
Man concedes all to his wife
Even at the cost of his own life
Reason behind this is what I strive
to unravel while I'm still alive.
Logic needs to scutter
While I stand to Utter.
Mountains and moors have no remorse
for the difference in their course.
I stand and wonder at their peaceful gaiety
and try to fathom who's their deity?
All I gather from my wonder
is its the same which works from under.
Farmers sow their seeds on the earth
Hoping to fill in all their dearth.
I wonder at their decision to sow
as I fail to comprehend what they know.
Once I got it, I'm ever so astonished
that all my fears are forever perished
I now stand to face thine
To accept the decree of divine.
I shout for all to hear
that Faith will remove all our fear.
As I realised the power of faith
My mind became free of myth.
The child was bound by faith and love
Man and wife lived with trust filled trove
Mountains and moors had faith in Lord
as the Farmers who trusted in god
Faith and love, trust and belief
Will always give you lot of relief.
THIRUMAL RAO R
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Ignorance
Ambrosial meals, elysian nights,
With calisthenic thoughts and euphoria all around.
My life went by without any brights
like An idle mind on a hazy ground.
Time had passed by, right under my nose
in presence of my ignorance through the course.
Seems like aeons since i had a cerebration,
And I long for it with adjuration.
Genesis of thought is still unknown
Fuelling the desire to make it known.
The glittering stars foster hope in my mind,
that a dawn will herald light on human mind.
Abhorring hedonism was merely not a dauntless act,
preached my mind when I had to face the fact.
Garbled thoughts garnered in mind,
never left me free even to unwind.
Failure to find an intention to my fate
Found respite in the haven of altruistic slate.
While Creeping on the beach smoothing a sandstone,
Dawn came upon and my ego brightly shone.
Thirumal Rao R
Ambrosial meals, elysian nights,
With calisthenic thoughts and euphoria all around.
My life went by without any brights
like An idle mind on a hazy ground.
Time had passed by, right under my nose
in presence of my ignorance through the course.
Seems like aeons since i had a cerebration,
And I long for it with adjuration.
Genesis of thought is still unknown
Fuelling the desire to make it known.
The glittering stars foster hope in my mind,
that a dawn will herald light on human mind.
Abhorring hedonism was merely not a dauntless act,
preached my mind when I had to face the fact.
Garbled thoughts garnered in mind,
never left me free even to unwind.
Failure to find an intention to my fate
Found respite in the haven of altruistic slate.
While Creeping on the beach smoothing a sandstone,
Dawn came upon and my ego brightly shone.
Thirumal Rao R
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Agony and Human Mind
‘Mera jeevan, kora kaagaz kora hi rahe gaya…..’ Very captivating? Enchanting? Of course. But what makes it golden song even decades after it was composed. Music? I do agree the music was fantastic, but was it just the score of music which has enthralled millions for decades? What does it have that makes millions to relate them with the song?
Isn’t it the agony the lyrics depict which binds us?
Merry making and gaiety seem to attract us, but it is very short lived. Shakespeare’s tragedy is still more famous than his comical plays. Isn’t it ironical that man has always wanted success, wanted to be happy, but has glorified sorrow, sacrifice, agony. If we observe, a soothing music depicting an ironical life with a pinch of sorrow will always capture our attention regardless of taste for music.
But the question is, why does man relate well to agony than gaiety, despite the fact that every endeavor undertaken by man is to make himself happy?
History is evident that agony and grief has churned great minds. Tagore became impregnable with the number of bereavements he faced in his life. Madam Curie became addicted to her work when she lost her parents and sister in a small period of time. Einstein too has confessed to have been a victim of insecurity, not belonging to any country or state. His famous statement “I am by heritage a Jew, by citizenship a Swiss, and by makeup a human being, and only a human being, without any special attachment to any state or national entity whatsoever.” reinforces his opinion and the mindset.
Having made the above observation, let us try to objectively dissect the meaning of agony and its root cause.
Dictionary says agony is a state of acute pain. But what is pain? It can be described as a somatic sensation of acute discomfort. It is a human tendency to constantly make himself comfortable. Comfort level increases with every new invention/discovery of man which aides in reducing his effort and achieving his motive. But human mind is irrational, comfort is a very subjective word defined by every individual according to his/her culture of mind.
Ideally speaking, every man is supposed to have a goal in his life so that his energy and effort is channelised towards a constructive and a noble cause aimed at the upliftment of mankind. But it is possible to achieve such a goal when his/her personal interests are in coherence with the noble cause. Friction between interests will just lead to unwanted energy loss. So it is important to formulate a goal for our life which is noble at the same time is in sync with our interests and bent of mind. Any successful man’s life can be traced back to a date when he would have his goal visualized with utmost clarity.
Now the goal is set, in other words the destination is known. So, the journey starts now. Even a 1000 mile journey starts with a single step.
But like the human body, human mind also tends towards complacency unless there is a constant motive power to push it forward. Though a clear goal acts as an engine, a tinge of discomfort will add as a fuel. Lamp emits light only when a wick tolerates the discomfort of heat. It is a universal fact that extended periods of relaxation or very low disturbances leads to stiffness in both physical and mental domains. And we also know that universe is dynamic and it is a characteristic property of the universe. Since we are an integral part of the same universe, it should be our characteristic property as well. Hence, by nature man should be dynamic, if he needs to be in harmony with nature. Normally what discomfort does is, it tends to disturb the complacent mind and gets it ticking. It alerts the mind and constantly reminds us of our destination. It will help us concentrate more and put more efforts in the right direction. The only requirement from our side is to keep our eyes wide open. Ironically, majority of us will shut our eyes and wait for miracles. This is the reason why we had only one Einstein, one Tagore , one Subhash Chandra Bose, One Gandhi, and one Madam Curie, inspite of millions of people who had the potential and also faced similar situations as they did. These great souls had just one thing in common. They believed that ‘The only real prison is fear and the only real freedom is freedom from fear’.
Agony is in fact the wick which burns itself and lights the dark. It is an opportunity to testify individual’s endurance and stretch beyond what we had previously thought possible. Agony is the fuel which burns to push the vehicle of thought in the direction of our goal. Discomfort is a state of mind which we have developed over ages due to the incessant feeding to our brain on what we consider as comfort. Pain will never go in vain. It will always help us gain! Now, what we have gained is for us to introspect.
So, people who value their journey more than their destination relates more to agony
as that is the state of mind they would be for most of their life.
Agony becomes more lovable to those who experience exhilaration instead of exhaustion.
“Man is an animal like other animals, wants food and success and women, not truth. Only if the mind Tortured by some interior tension has despaired of happiness: then it hates its life-cage and seeks further, and finds, if it is powerful enough. But instantly the private agony that made the search muddles the finding. Then search for truth is foredoomed and frustrate? Only stained fragments? Until the mind has turned its love from itself and man, from parts to the whole.”
– Robinson Jeffer
Thirumal Rao R
Isn’t it the agony the lyrics depict which binds us?
Merry making and gaiety seem to attract us, but it is very short lived. Shakespeare’s tragedy is still more famous than his comical plays. Isn’t it ironical that man has always wanted success, wanted to be happy, but has glorified sorrow, sacrifice, agony. If we observe, a soothing music depicting an ironical life with a pinch of sorrow will always capture our attention regardless of taste for music.
But the question is, why does man relate well to agony than gaiety, despite the fact that every endeavor undertaken by man is to make himself happy?
History is evident that agony and grief has churned great minds. Tagore became impregnable with the number of bereavements he faced in his life. Madam Curie became addicted to her work when she lost her parents and sister in a small period of time. Einstein too has confessed to have been a victim of insecurity, not belonging to any country or state. His famous statement “I am by heritage a Jew, by citizenship a Swiss, and by makeup a human being, and only a human being, without any special attachment to any state or national entity whatsoever.” reinforces his opinion and the mindset.
Having made the above observation, let us try to objectively dissect the meaning of agony and its root cause.
Dictionary says agony is a state of acute pain. But what is pain? It can be described as a somatic sensation of acute discomfort. It is a human tendency to constantly make himself comfortable. Comfort level increases with every new invention/discovery of man which aides in reducing his effort and achieving his motive. But human mind is irrational, comfort is a very subjective word defined by every individual according to his/her culture of mind.
Ideally speaking, every man is supposed to have a goal in his life so that his energy and effort is channelised towards a constructive and a noble cause aimed at the upliftment of mankind. But it is possible to achieve such a goal when his/her personal interests are in coherence with the noble cause. Friction between interests will just lead to unwanted energy loss. So it is important to formulate a goal for our life which is noble at the same time is in sync with our interests and bent of mind. Any successful man’s life can be traced back to a date when he would have his goal visualized with utmost clarity.
Now the goal is set, in other words the destination is known. So, the journey starts now. Even a 1000 mile journey starts with a single step.
But like the human body, human mind also tends towards complacency unless there is a constant motive power to push it forward. Though a clear goal acts as an engine, a tinge of discomfort will add as a fuel. Lamp emits light only when a wick tolerates the discomfort of heat. It is a universal fact that extended periods of relaxation or very low disturbances leads to stiffness in both physical and mental domains. And we also know that universe is dynamic and it is a characteristic property of the universe. Since we are an integral part of the same universe, it should be our characteristic property as well. Hence, by nature man should be dynamic, if he needs to be in harmony with nature. Normally what discomfort does is, it tends to disturb the complacent mind and gets it ticking. It alerts the mind and constantly reminds us of our destination. It will help us concentrate more and put more efforts in the right direction. The only requirement from our side is to keep our eyes wide open. Ironically, majority of us will shut our eyes and wait for miracles. This is the reason why we had only one Einstein, one Tagore , one Subhash Chandra Bose, One Gandhi, and one Madam Curie, inspite of millions of people who had the potential and also faced similar situations as they did. These great souls had just one thing in common. They believed that ‘The only real prison is fear and the only real freedom is freedom from fear’.
Agony is in fact the wick which burns itself and lights the dark. It is an opportunity to testify individual’s endurance and stretch beyond what we had previously thought possible. Agony is the fuel which burns to push the vehicle of thought in the direction of our goal. Discomfort is a state of mind which we have developed over ages due to the incessant feeding to our brain on what we consider as comfort. Pain will never go in vain. It will always help us gain! Now, what we have gained is for us to introspect.
So, people who value their journey more than their destination relates more to agony
as that is the state of mind they would be for most of their life.
Agony becomes more lovable to those who experience exhilaration instead of exhaustion.
“Man is an animal like other animals, wants food and success and women, not truth. Only if the mind Tortured by some interior tension has despaired of happiness: then it hates its life-cage and seeks further, and finds, if it is powerful enough. But instantly the private agony that made the search muddles the finding. Then search for truth is foredoomed and frustrate? Only stained fragments? Until the mind has turned its love from itself and man, from parts to the whole.”
– Robinson Jeffer
Thirumal Rao R
Monday, January 14, 2008
Love as a Motive Power
"Love is not a thing to understand.
Love is not a thing to feel.
Love is not a thing to give and receive.
Love is a thing only to become
And eternally be. " - Sri Chinmoy
Love, an emotion which causes an upsurge in energy levels, an emotion which gives surreal strength, an emotion which defeats and defies intelligence, an emotion which symbolizes immortality, an emotion which incapacitates us to define. A mysterious force which powers us and bestows enough strength to take on the world single handedly. It can be safely assumed that “Love” is one of the most frequently used word in the history of literature.
Let us try to understand love by putting it on the canvas called life and savour its beauty with changing background colours called situations.
Manifestations of love are various and occurs in myriad forms. But the most predominant and the most celebrated form is the love between the valour and vanity, bounty and beauty, physical might and inner strength, masculine and feminine.
The love between a man and a woman sustains only if it is beyond carnal attraction. This love is yet another unsolved mystery posed by the providence for the mankind to comprehend. Love is such a powerful feeling that it paralyses the brain and defies all logic.
The phrase ‘Love is blind’ seems to be true in every sense of it. But the main haunting question is what is love? Is it a feeling or is it an invisible external mysterious force acting on mankind ? A very tough question indeed. Feeling and thinking have a very thin line drawn in the realm of human consciousness. But they both belong to two completely different domains. It is like a cat and a dog living together. It is not impossible for a cat and a dog to live in harmony, but feeling and thinking doesn’t live harmoniously. Each tries to enter the other domain and try to influence the thought process. Man is famous in interchanging these two in the wrong circumstances. We normally tend to think when we are required to feel and we normally succumb to emotions when we have to think and act. Thoughts should precede action at the human level. It is only in the primitive reptilian level that action precedes thought. But we tend to experience that kind of process happening amongst us as well.
Love is infact a metaphysical subject which yields no result regardless f the length and depth of discussion. No one has been able to churn a universal definition. So, I feel it is something which can assume any form. It can be our purpose in life, it can be our way of life, it can be a characteristic feature of us, it can serve as an inspiration to live, it can be the motive power which drives our life. Love is all about an unknown hidden entity which acts as a medium carrying gaiety. It makes us feel delirious, renews and rejuvenates our body and mind.
Now, let us try to unravel love as to how it can act as an motive power. Imagine you had a tiring and a long day at work, you come home and it happens to be your wedding anniversary. Don’t you stretch yourself and try to make your spouse happy. Would you be equally energetic on an otherwise normal day? What drove you on that day?
How many disagree to the statement that young lovers are the most adventurous and full of energy trying to prove their love by attempting the extremes? What drives them to do so? People risk their life for their beloved. What gives them such courage? Is it not love that is behind all these. Is it not the motive power which motivates the man to transform from existentiality to living life. Love is the most powerful source of energy known to man. The only point is it can be harnessed at our will and not otherwise.
Any attempt to dissect love to find its nature will be like searching a lost ring under the light which was lost elsewhere in dark. Practical and materialistic thinking will never succeed in understanding love and philosophical thinking will never succeed in defining love. It is one such wonderful entity in this creation which we can experience only if we stop thinking.
Experience love to feel and express the feeling of love. Love to love and hate to Hate!!!
Thirumal Rao R
Friday, January 4, 2008
Light in the Dark
In the stillness of the dark
Were those stars with a spark.
Amidst gush of the wind and fluttering of the trees
Laid back, I dreamt the world filled with peace.
Stars in their bright shine,
Ended my groping whine.
With pleasure did I dine
With a bottle of shining wine.
The brightness of the star in the darkness of the night
Epitomised the valour of a knight.
The grey screen of the cloud
Covered the star as a shroud.
As time passed away, the clouds flew away
They shone as before ever so bright
Reinforcing in me that I was right.
Cloud was temporary as problems in our life
Shine is the truth realized after life full of strife
Be a star and shine forever
Unperturbed by the cloud that hover.
Bright or not, never give a thought
Light in the dark is a drop in the drought.
Thirumal Rao R
In the stillness of the dark
Were those stars with a spark.
Amidst gush of the wind and fluttering of the trees
Laid back, I dreamt the world filled with peace.
Stars in their bright shine,
Ended my groping whine.
With pleasure did I dine
With a bottle of shining wine.
The brightness of the star in the darkness of the night
Epitomised the valour of a knight.
The grey screen of the cloud
Covered the star as a shroud.
As time passed away, the clouds flew away
They shone as before ever so bright
Reinforcing in me that I was right.
Cloud was temporary as problems in our life
Shine is the truth realized after life full of strife
Be a star and shine forever
Unperturbed by the cloud that hover.
Bright or not, never give a thought
Light in the dark is a drop in the drought.
Thirumal Rao R
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